=== 3/26/2010 12:52am JST

...The Bay Stars held a season kick-off ceremony on Thursday (after they prayed at Iseyama Kotai Shrine).

=== 3/25/2010 5:32pm JST

...The Bay Stars have one rookie on their opening day roster: Shigeru Kaga.  This will be the first time since 2007 (Michiomi Yoshihara) that the Bay Stars enter the season with a rookie pitcher on their opening day roster.

...The Bay Stars visited Iseyama Kotai Shrine on Thursday to pray for a successful season.

...Stephen Randolph will be getting the opening day start.  On Wednesday, he told reporters that he's not feeling any pressure even though he doesn't have any experience as an opening day starter.

...Takao Obana told reporters on Wednesday that he'd like his team to go 2-1 in the opening series against the Hanshin Tigers.

...The Bay Stars will be selling special Opening Day Surprise Bags beginning on the 27th.  Each bag will cost 10,000 yen and will contain a variety of Bay Stars' goodies.  You won't be able to see what's inside the bag, so there's a change you'll also get something you don't want.  There will also be a limit of 400 bags.

...Female fans that show up on designated SutaPuri (スタプリ), or Stadium Prints, will get a coupon for one free beauty salon lip treatment, courtesy VECUA.

...Yuki Yoshimura is continuing on with his Home Run Tree Project (ホームランツリー・プロジェクト) this year.  And that means he'll be giving away one tree to a fan for every home run he hits during regular season CL games.

...It looks like Stephen Randolph will be the opening day starter for the Bay Stars.  As such, he'll also become the first foreign player to start an opening day game for the club.

Randolph's exhibition game outings:

3/18 vs Hanshin Tigers - 6 IP, 26 BF, 107 NP, 7 H, 6 SO, 2 BB, 3 R, 3 ER

3/11 vs Nippon Ham Fighters - 5 IP, 19 BF, 95 NP, 4 H, 6 SO, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

3/6 vs Rakuten Eagles - 3 IP, 10 BF, 40 NP, 1 H, 3 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

...Daisuke Miura could make a return some time during the club's 3-game series against the Yakult Swallows (begins on 4/2).  This will be the first time Miura starts the regular season at Ni-gun since 2003.

...Takahiro Saeki and Toshihiro Noguchi will both start the year at Ni-gun.

...It seems Daisuke Miura is getting demoted so that he can spend more time working out kinks in his delivery -- Miura and Takao Obana apparently talked it over and agreed that this was the best more for him.  This comes on the heels of him giving up 8 home runs to the Yomiuri Giants during an exhibition game on the 20th.  He also hit a snag with some shoulder tightness during Spring camp that slowed down his progress.

The opening day start will either go to Stephen Randolph or Naoyuki Shimizu.

...The Bay Stars opening day rotation could include Randolph, Shimizu, Hayato Terahara, and Yuji Yoshimi.

With Miura starting the season at Ni-gun, I wonder where this leaves Shun Yamaguchi.  Does he still return to the pen as the closer?  Or do they give him another shot at starting?

In either case, it seems like Hiroki Sanada and Shigeki Ushida are potential candidates for the setup role.

...The Yokohama Bay Stars will be handing out fans to the first 10,000 people that arrive at the ballpark on each of the three days during the opening series against the Yomiuri Giants (3/30-4/1).  You can grab more info about where to pick up the fans once you get to the park and a few more details about opening day at the official Bay Stars' website (in Japanese).

...The Bay Stars have teamed up with 7-Eleven to give fans a chance to win tickets to Bay Stars' games with food purchases at any of the 7-Eleven stores in the Kanagawa area.  Every 700yen spent on food will earn you one chance at winning a free ticket (21,600 pairs of tickets).  Check the official Bay Stars' site for more information.

...Seems Terrmel Sledge has started up something called the Family Pair Seat.  All you need to be is a Bay Stars' fan in order to be eligible for the drawing.  For more info, check out the official site.

=== 10:30pm JST

...Shun Yamaguchi recorded a save in the last exhibition game of the preseason.  Takao Obana told reporters after the game that Yamaguchi could better suited as a closer.  From the sounds of things, it seems like Yamaguchi might end up becoming the team's closer again.

=== 5:18pm JST

...Yoshitomo Tsutsugo collected his first pro hit and RBI during hit first at bat in a Ni-gun game against the Yakult Swallows on Sunday.  With a runner on third and two out in the first, Tsutsugo hit a single into right.  For the game, he went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts.

=== 3/22/2010 12:17am JST

...Takao Obana appears to be taking a more flexible approach with Shun Yamaguchi, telling reporters that he might be used in a variety of situations.  Obana also added that their plan to use him as a starter hasn't really changed.

On Sunday, Yamaguchi entered the game in the 9th in a non-save situation.

=== 8:47pm JST

...Instant replay was used on a home run that was hit by Terrmel Sledge in the 6th.  The shot was originally ruled still in play as it bounced off the top of the fence.  A check on replay showed that the ball went over the fence before bouncing back onto the field.

It was the first time the replay system was used (kind of a test case).

...Despite giving up 8 home runs during his start on Saturday, Daisuke Miura is still the opening day starter for the Yokoham Bay Stars.  Said Takao Obana, "I trust him as an ace."

Miura's final line from the game: 4 IP, 27 BF, 102 NP, 14 H, 3 SO, 0 BB, 14 R, 9 ER.

Six of the eight home runs Miura surrendered were on fastballs.

...Rough day for Daisuke Miura on Saturday while pitching against the Yomiuri Giants.  His final line:

4 IP, 27 BF, 102 NP, 14 H, 8 HR (!), 3 H, 0 BB, 14 R, 9 ER

...The Bay Stars held a 2-hour meeting for pitchers and catchers after practice on Friday.

...Shigeru Kaga's exhibition game outings:

3/18 vs Hanshin Tigers: 0.2 IP, 2 BF, 11 NP, 0 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

3/13 vs Hanshin Tigers: 1 IP, 3 BF, 13 NP, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

3/7 vs Rakuten Eagles: 1 IP, 5 BF, 18 NP, 1 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

3/5 vs Softbank Hawks: 1 IP, 5 BF, 20 NP, 1 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

3/27 vs Yakult Swallows : 1 IP, 4 BF, 17 NP, 0 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 0 R, 0 ER

It seems there's a chance 2nd round pick Kaga could make the opening roster with his performance so far during exhibition play.

...Shuichi Murata has hit three home runs in his last four games.

...Head coach Makoto Shimada told reporters that he doesn't think there's a huge gap of difference between the Bay Stars and the Yomiuri Giants.  The difference, he noted, was in experience and luck.

...Thursday was Yoshitomo Tsutsugo's last day at Ichi-gun.

...Naoyuki Shimizu's first regular season game will likely be against the Yomiuri Giants on 3/30.  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should pitch with 6 days of rest.

...The Bay Stars teed off Yasutomo Kubo on Thursday, banging out 8 runs on 13 hits (including 5 doubles and 3 homers) over a 6 inning span.  The big boppers, from top to bottom were: Takehiro Ishikawa with two doubles; Tatsuya Shimozono a solo homer;  Seiichi Uchikawa was responsible for two doubles; Shuichi Murata hit a 2-run homer; and Tasuku Hashimoto a double and a 2-run homer.

...Naoyuki Shimizu's exhibition game outings:

3/17 vs Chunichi Dragons: 6 IP, 25 BF, 108 NP, 8 H, 3 SO, 0 BB, 1 R, 1 ER

3/10 vs Softbank Hawks: 5 IP, 19 BF, 76 NP, 2 H, 5 SO, 1 BB, 2 R, 0 ER

3/3 vs Chiba Lotte Marines: 3 IP, 14 BF, 45 NP, 3 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 2 R, 0 ER

...Prior to Wednesday game against the Chunichi Dragons, Terrmel Sledge was 2-for-24.  His line on Wednesday: 2-for-3, HR, R, RBI.

...Head coach Makoto Shimada told reporters on Wednesday that Yoshitomo Tsutsugo will not be on the opening day roster.  If he does well at Ni-gun, the club may promote him.  Tsutsugo went 3-for-15 during exhibition games.

...Shun Yamaguchi told reporters after his start on Tuesday that he may have rushed himself a bit during the game because he was trying to pitch quick innings.  Takao Obana added that Yamaguchi's fastballs had velocity, but not enough bite.

...Shun Yamaguchi struggled in his first start during exhibition play on Tuesday.  Against the Rakuten Eagles, he needed 91 pitches to get through 4 innings (60 pitches through the first two innings) and gave up 8 runs (all earned) on 9 hits, 3 strike outs, 1 walk, and an HBP.  He also gave up a 2-run homer to Takeshi Yamasaki in the 4th inning.  He did hit 151km/h on the radar gun, but struggled with his off-speed pitches.

On Monday, Yamaguchi mentioned something about throwing a new sinker / fork-type pitch to lefties on the outside corner during his outing, but there have been no specific references, that I could find, on how that went.

...Shuichi Murata hit his second home run in as many games on Tuesday against the Rakuten.  His home run came in the first inning on Satoshi Nagai's second pitch -- a curve that was down in the zone -- with the bases loaded.

...Prior to Tuesday's game against the Rakuten Eagles, Seiichi Uchikawa was 2-for-21 during exhibition play.  On Monday, he spent about an hour working on his swing and then told reporters that the worst thing a player could do is start fiddling with something during a slump.

Uchikawa's line from Tuesday's game: 1-for-4, BB, R